Urban Meyer thinks Michigan has a simple way to push the scandal talk out of the spotlight: win early and win often.
Speaking on The Triple Option podcast, the former Ohio State coach said the Wolverines can change the conversation if Kyle Whittingham gets off to a fast start in Ann Arbor.
"Well, we're talking about sports," Meyer said. "So, remember - coach Whitt comes out of the shoot 7-0 or 8-0 and people are going to forget.
They have a new basketball coach. The new basketball coach gets it - catches fire.
So again, you win, all good. You lose, they'll keep coming back to this.
If you win, you won't hear about this again, I would imagine."
Michigan has spent the last stretch dealing with one issue after another. The program has been tied to Connor Stalions' sign-stealing scheme, staffers being fired from the football program, Sherrone Moore being fired for an inappropriate relationship with a staffer, and Warde Manuel resigning at the end of the calendar year. The university is now searching for a new athletic director, and the noise around the department keeps circling back to those problems.
Meyer’s point is straightforward: in sports, the standings tend to drown out everything else. If Michigan starts 7-0 or 8-0, the scandal chatter will fade fast, at least in the national conversation.
That’s especially true because the biggest baggage has come from football. Between Stalions, the staffers, Matt Weiss' computer hacking crimes, and Moore's poor decisions, the Wolverines have been painted in a bad light.
Whittingham’s arrival gives Michigan a fresh start. The longtime Utah coach has built a program that stays out of trouble and, as Meyer sees it, offers the kind of stability Michigan needs. It was a hire Warde Manuel may not get enough credit for as he is out after the calendar year.
Basketball may have its moments, but football still runs the show in Ann Arbor. Right now, while it’s still summer, the Manuel news is drawing more attention than any football storyline. That will change once the season starts and fans turn their focus to whether Michigan can crash the College Football Playoff race.
If Whittingham’s team clears the early part of the schedule and does it with a near-perfect record, the past could get pushed to the background quickly. The exceptions would likely be rival fans, who are not likely to let any of it go.
That’s the reality Meyer was pointing to: in college football, recency wins. A 7-0 or 8-0 Michigan team would dominate the national conversation, not Connor Stalions' actions from 2021-2023 or Moore's firing.
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